Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have had Texans in the past bred them. Sold the babies and kept one hatchling. At 18 months he was right under 5 foot (58", long being fed exclusively on mice and an occasional snake (frozen of course, to kill parasites/germs). I think gowth has a lot to do with TWO other variables besides temperature (the most important). Remember, as research has shown that Indigos love to spend time in holes/burrows, especially during cold weather and at night time. These are usually the driest conditions of the day. During the day however Indigos cruise about. Note that during the day humidity is much higher than at night and during warm weather the air can hold more moisture than during cooler weather= more humidity. What I am trying to say is I strongly think that humidity to an Indigo is almost as important as temperature. An Indigo during most of his life is always exposed to high humidity one way or another. Keep the Indigo warm AND humid and you have a happy Indigo.
Point # 2: MICE vs Rats. Well rats may be a better food source for most of you guys/gals, but if you were to feed them mice that were exclusively fed on a very high protein/vitamin diet, than you would probably have good results as I have had. My mice are raised & bred by me. They are on a highly nutritious diet of dry DOG FOOD!!! It is cheap and very nutritious (Of course don't buy OL'Roy or some other cheap brand of dog food). You have to treat your mice like champion breeder dogs and they'll grow large and healthy and provide a nutritious meal for your indigo.
I think many people forget about keeping drymarchons humid enough. And too many mouse breeders don't feed their mice healthy food. I think those two variables are important. By the way, the cage that my fast growing texan was in was only 4.5 ft X 2ft x 2ft, and he almost never saw real sun light (but he ate a lot of HEALTHY mice!!!). Thanks for reading, and I might just try rats for my little eastern? He's currently 33" long fed only on mice, was hatched last August.

Take care & thanks for your input (read the whole thread about Indigo's and rats)
ZEE

There is very little data to prove that mice are more nutritious than rats or vice versa. We may know that rats have more calcium content and such, however, does that equate to a healthier snake or even meeting THEIR nutritional needs? There is still a long way to go in our field of knowledge. So, in order to provide a more "natural" diet (as natural as you can get in a captive setting), I tend to go with a variety of food items that include mice, rats, quail and bunniies.

As far as humidity goes, I, too, feel that this is a very important component to good drymarchon health. But, I would also caution those that provide high humidity with poor air flow; that will do far more harm. I overcome this obstacle quite easily but just supplying a "humidity chamber" which is nothing more than a plastic storage box with a hole cut in the lid filled with several inches of spaghnum/peat/sand/soil mix that also doubles as an egg laying chamber.

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center
City of Lake Forest Parks & Recreation (IL)

They are on a highly nutritious diet of dry DOG FOOD!!! It is cheap and very nutritious (Of course don't buy OL'Roy or some other cheap brand of dog food). You have to treat your mice like champion breeder dogs and they'll grow large and healthy and provide a nutritious meal for your indigo.

Or you can treat your mice like champion breeder mice and feed them good quality MOUSE food you will find they smell less, live longer, breed better (larger clutches of bigger babies) and grow up with a denser, less fatty body. They also consume less food per day which means the food hoppers don't have to be filled as often. Decades of research into rodent diets means that you can buy exceptional rodent chows for not much money anymore. Mazuri's mouse breeder chow is great!

I have bred mice (and rats) off an on for many years. I used to use "high quality" dogfoods, then I went over to high quality rodent chow and would never go back. Less mess, they consume less food, and you get cleaner, healthier mice.
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Chris Harrison

It's been so long. Tried so many rodent foods in the past. Thanks for the wake-up call. I will have to try it. THANKS for the info.

ZEE